Annual Christmas Fantasy delights at Okinawa Zoo

By Bill Charles

Snowflakes aren’t actually forecast to fall over Okinawa this holiday season, but the Christmas Fantasy being staged at Okinawa Kodomono Kuni, the Okinawa Zoo, is prepared to amaze visitors with the next best thing.

Kodomo-no Kuni, a.k.a. Okinawa Zoo, lights up for Christmas fun every day from Dec. 23 through 28.

People experiencing their first winter on Okinawa are often surprised and disappointed to discover a Christmas in this sub-tropical paradise doesn’t have quite the same ring to the season as back home. No problem, say the Christmas Fantasy organizers at the Okinawa Zoo in Goya, Okinawa City. From December 23rd through 28th, from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each day, the zoo is creating a huge scale Christmas Wonderland.

Snow slider is fun that you don;t experience on Okinawa every day, even in wintertime.

The zoo is celebrating its 19th annual Christmas Fantasy event, packed with holiday cheer, sparkling lights, illuminated Christmas trees and decorations guaranteed to give everyone a fuzzy, nostalgic feeling to celebrate the holiday season. The highlight of this annual event is a chance to revel in the beauty of real white snow that will be falling from snow machines three times each evening, guaranteed. Yes! Guaranteed! Real snow falling from the skies over the zoo.

Okinawa Kodomo no Kuni changes to a Christmas theme park with huge numbers of decorated electric illuminations! Visitors can walk around the all illuminated park

enjoy many special theme areas like Santa Claus, electric flower field, illuminated amusement park, illuminated Tunnel of Love and much more! There are also pay play areas in its park of snow where visitors can play in a snow field, whiz down sliders, enjoy a snowman, visit the kamakura (igloo) and more.

Some free snow area activities are available, for fun for everyone! Then there are the snow shows three times each day! There’s to be a snow machine running

Laser show lights the sky daily.

around the park making snow, something that is fun for kids but also adults enjoy. Snowing shows take place at 5:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 8:40 p.m. each day. There are also a number of daily stage shows, including Eisa, Shishimai (Lion dance), World dancing, Super Aurora attractions, Bingo games and more!

The Super Aurora attraction is a laser beam show at 6:15 p.m., 7:50 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. each evening.

in Japan, Christmas Eve is considered the most romantic night of the year, so a heart-shaped “Tunnel of Love” is a must.

Christmas Fantasy advance tickets are ¥1,800, or ¥2,200 at the gate. Kids 4-15 pay ¥1,000 in advance, or ¥1,200 at the gate. Children under three years of age are free. Advance tickets are available before December 23rd at CoCo stores, Coop Okinawa, Ryubo, Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours Plus, FamilyMart, and Lawson convenience stores.

Visitors cannot bring any food or drinks to the venue. There is very limited space for parking, so many shuttle busses will be running throughout the Christmas Fantasy from Okinawa City offices (https://goo.gl/maps/qi4bC) and Koza Athletic Park. (https://goo.gl/maps/Wb5ju) .
The Okinawa Zoo location is marked by the Map: https://goo.gl/maps/SKUbP.